Supreme Court Hands Trump a Loss on Mail Ballots

States can keep counting mail ballots that show up after Election Day, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, delivering a setback to President Trump in the closely watched case. Chief Justice John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices in the 5-4 decision, reports the New York Times. The ruling upholds laws in more than half the states and Washington, DC, that allow mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day to be tallied even if they arrive days later. The decision means election officials won't have to retool rules just months before the 2026 midterms, notes the AP.

The case in question arose from a challenge in Mississippi, which allows ballots to arrive five days after Election Day. Republicans and Libertarians, backed by the Trump administration, argued that federal law requires ballots to be both cast and received on Election Day itself, per the Washington Post. The ruling undercuts a broader effort by Trump and allies to restrict mail voting, which they have repeatedly claimed is vulnerable to fraud despite a lack of evidence and dozens of failed court challenges to the 2020 results. In many states, the extended deadlines primarily benefit military and overseas voters.